Improvement in rice cleaning, hulling, and pearling machines



s. NowLAN.

Rice Cleaning Machine.-

APatented My 27, A1862.

,4, persas, mwmmrpher, wam-mgm". DA c;

`To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL NowLAN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rice Cleaning, Hulling, and Pearling Machinery; and" I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of thesame, reference being had to the acoon1- panying drawings, in which- Figures 1 and 2 represent, respectively, a i longitudinal and transverse section of my irnproved apparatus. a

My invention consists, first, in combination, Awith stationary but elastic wire beds, of the reciprocating cast-iron or stone slabs or plates, substantially `in the manner and for the purpose hereinafter described; second, the arrangement of the wire bed supported by a perforated board, in combination with a blowing apparatus, the whole operating substantially in the manner hereinafter set forth; third, the combination, with a stationary conical screen constructed as hereinafter described, of a revolving shaft and inclined dashers or blades, the whole operating together, substantially as herein set forth. I

To enable others skilled in the art to 4make and use my invention, I shall now describe the constructionf arrangement, and operation of my machine.

The machineryis inclosed in a quadrangular frame or case, A, strongly united by mortise and tenon or dovetail joint, so that the I whole box shall be perfectly dust-proof. On

top of said frame or case is applied a funnelshapedhoppenB, from which the rice or other grain is uniformly and at given intervals fed into the mill or apparatus by means of a g'rooved roller, c, `to which a rotary motion is imparted with more or less velocity, according to the quantity of rice the machine is capable of working off.

The `rice or grain is dropped onto a series of wire beds, D, inclined in relation to each other so as to actuate the rice to fall frompone to the other until it reaches the exit-funnel E. These wire beds are made of abottom, a, over which is spread rsta flannelor other soft elastic covering, b, and,secondly,a wiregauze or metallic web, G. Above each wire bed is placed a frame, d, containing a number of stone slabs or plates of chilled cast-iron F, so that the lower and chilled surface'coines opposite the UNITED STATES r 4fPATElsVr GFFICE.

`SAMUEL nowLAN, on NEW YORK, N. Y,

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 35,387, (lated May 27,1862.

wire surfaces.` The frame containing the slabs or plates is supported at a distance not exceeding the size of ordinary rice-kernels or of other grain intended to be worked by means of side supports or guides, x. The several frames are connected by means of rods f with an outside cross-piece, g, whichin its turn is united with the rod of an eccentric, h, which, receiving a rotary motion, imparts a reciprocating motion to the said frame and slabs.

The function of the stationary wire bed and 5 the reciprocating slabs is to hull the rice,

which in its descent from one wire bed to another is exposed to a rubbing action, the tendency of which is to free the rice of its surrounding hull. It will be observed that the elastic or yielding bed prevents the rice from being broken or injured. i

By referring to the drawings it will be seen that the last and lowermost wire bed is not elastic. the board, which is here perforated with numerous holes G. The object of this arrangement is to allow the rice or grain heated by constant friction to cool, and also to allow of the powdered and reduced hull to pass off. This is effected by means of a blower, J, throwing fresh air with considerable force on and through the wire bed. The rice thus freed of its outer cuticle now reaches the funnel F, whence it runs into the conical screen or pearling-boX N. This box is in the forrn of a truncated cone and is made of metallic cloth or wire. It is securely fixed at its ends to the boX, so that it remains stationary while the operation of pearling is going on within it. Through the center of the said cone passes a shaft upon which are mounted a number of dashers or blades, m, the latter being set at an angle in relation to the horizontal shaft. It will be evident that a reciprocating motion will be given to them by simply revolving theshaft.

This motion of the blades produces the de The metallic cloth rests directly upon 2 sass? by the blower, whereby all light particles are a revolving shaft and inclined dashers or removed before the rice is collected. blades, the whole operating together, substan- Having thus described my invention, I tially as set forth. claim In testimony whereof I have signed my naine l. The combination, with stationary and to this specification before two subscribing elastic wire beds, of the reciprocating cast-iron Witnesses. plates or stone slabs, substantially in the inanner and for the purpose herein described.

2. The combination, with a stationary conical screen constructed as hereindescribed, of l SAMUEL NOWLAN. Witnesses:

A. POLLAK,

WM. H. HARRISON. 

